So I've been hearing things about Oh! Edo Rocket so I decided to give it a go. Lucky for me Shinsen-Subs released episode one subbed. So this show starts off a big random mess of things. A huge firework is launched, a young boy gets mad and wants to figure out how the creator of that firework got it to be that color and size, and a white and blue monster are fighting each other. The white monster seems to be female due to it having....well two female parts on its chest...but I could be mistaken. Anyway the white monster seems to have the upper hand on the blue one and is beating the shit out of it, but (i'll call the blue monster "blue" and the white monster "white" for now) blue kicks white into a pile of wood and escapes for the time being. White recovers and chases after blue.
Now we see a bunch of strange characters who seem to be the residents of the town. They appear to be poor at the moment since their surroundings don't look very nice. All of a sudden we see a group of weird ass police trying to find someone while constantly screaming "POLICE! POLICE!" at the same time. The police chief seems to be less stupid but the scene switches to a group of 5 ninja-like dudes chasing after Blue and White who have managed to find each other again. Blue is just about to beat White when he gets hit in the back by some shurikens. Each ninja seems to have a weird style of fighting. The first to show is one who fights with his feet and does carwheels and handstands while spinning his feet in a propeller like motion. The other uses a huge bar with a weight at the end and seems like the powerhouse of the group. The third and fourth use dual samurai swords like a generic ninja and the fifth uses a huge rifle which seems to work like a sniper. While blue and white are fighting, the ninja's take advantage and try to kill both at the same time but white is quick on his feet and dodges whereas blue doesn't and dies. White tries to run but gets shot in the shoulder by the rifle weilding ninja. As the ninja's are about to capture white, fireworks are launched causeing the ninjas to turn around giving white a chance to escape. White takes the chance and runs off while the ninjas decide not to pursue. Later we see White watching the fireworks in amazement when the town locksmith sees him. White tries to hide and the locksmith just keeps walking acting as if he saw nothing. White then looks back up into the sky, we see the fireworks and as the camera pans back to white we see a blue-haired starry-eyed Sora in it's place.
Now it's morning and we see the sergeant policeman "Hatchobori" (real name is Akai Nishinosuke) capturing the clock mechanic. A carpenter and a pair of entertainers are trying to stop him when fireworks boy Seikichi comes out of hiding and tries to help them. He puts up a fight but sergeant Hatchobori knows about him making and using fireworks and stops all his arguments by telling him if he is ever found out that he will be exiled or killed. As Hatchobori tries to corner Seikichi, the locksmith Ginjiro comes to his rescue and tells the policeman that the fireworks used last night were not used by Seikichi because Seikichi was actually helping him fix a lock that very night. Hatchibori is still suspicious and asks Seikichi to show him the pipe on his back which he uses to launch fireworks. At this point Seikichi is scared shitless but see's the two entertainers nodding at him to let Hatchobori see it. So Seikichi takes off the cloth covering the pipe-like object and instead of his firework launcher, Ginjiro's lock fixing tools are inside it. Hatchobori doesn't believe them but leaves anyway with the clock mechanic still hanging in his hands. Seikichi and Ginjiro thank the two entertainers whos names we now learn to be Tenho and Tenten. Tenho is the green haired female and Tenten is the large male. Seikichi asks them where they put his firework launcher and they tell him they hid it in the lavatory. After retrieving it Ginjiro asks himwhy he doesn't just practice making fireworks outside of Edo and Seikichi says that practicing somewhere else will effect the way it looks due to the air and area being different. He then says he's going to make a firework just for Edo. Ginjiro asks Seikichi where Shunpei is (Shunpei is Seikichi's younger brother a.k.a. mushroom hair) and Seikichi tells him hes at the shrine. After all this Seikichi goes home and Ginjiro tells him not to rush himself. As Seikichi gets inside and closes the door he sees Sora holding a sparkler and screams. His scream startles Sora and causes her to drop the spark on his floor. As it's about to start a fire in his room he pats it out and burns his hands in the process. Afterword, Seikichi questions her a bit when she suddenly she asks him to make him a firework. Seikichi accepts the task before he hears what she wants so when she suddenly asks him to make a firework that will reach the moon he freaks out.
Impressions:
Edo Rocket was kind of a mixed bag. A ton of different things were happening at the same time so I was kind of lost at the beginning. Though, it is based on the Edo period where people were under opression from a new ruler. It seems everyone is poor but they do live a seemily good lifestyle. I guess thats because this is anime. Anyway I think this is worth the watch. The end of this episode is when the story seems to get really started. Plus, Sora and Tenho are cute as hell so all the more reason to watch. (but I don't think anyone has matched Yoko in hotness yet). The characters are all unique and have their own certain jobs they do in the town. The artwork resembles chinese painting with thick brush strokes for lines. All in all I'd give Edo Rocket 01 an 7/10 due to it being confusing. It should get better starting next episode but..subs are hellu slow for this show so I think i'll be waiting for awhile.
Opening Theme: Oh Edo Rocket IV by Puffy Ami Yumi
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The OP is upbeat and awesome. Since it is sung by Puffy Ami Yumi it has that fun vibe to it. I can't wait till P.A.Y. releases their single for this.
Ending Theme: 100 miles~Niji o Oikakete" by Santara
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I absolutely love Edo Rocket's ED. The song feels as if it could have fit perfectly in an episode of Cowboy Bebop. It's got that bluesy feel to it. The animation for the ending theme is beautiful. Its colorful and bright and has Sora in it which makes it an instant win. I can't wait for this release either.
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